Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon M: Tsuki no Senshi
by Lori1
Summary: It has been a year since Chaos and Galaxia have disappeared. Usagi and the others are Juniors in Highschool, and peace reigns in the little Tokyo community of Jyuuban. But then a Japanese-American exchange student named Tskui enters their world...
1. Author's Notes

**Author's Notes:** _**Saga of the Moon Senshi, Pandora Arc**_ **Written by**: Lori Collins **E-mail: **shinseino_tskui@hotmail.com **Website:** http://www.homestead.com/sailorpandorasbox **  
** **  
** **  
** ****Standard Disclaimer**** I don't own Sailor Moon, I couldn't possibly be that cool, so Toei, Kodansha, DiC, Bandai, Naoko-sama, please don't sue me, because I couldn't pay you anyways... I AM a college student.   
****Thanks**** I would like to thank all my beta readers! These people let me know the good the bad and the ugly in my writing, and the new version of my fic is owed to them! Thanks guys! Especially: *Dessy-chan *Angel-chan *SD-chan *Carla-pi *Ryan-kun **  
** **Notes on the Pandora Arc:** **  
** The Saga of the Moon Senshi takes place 1 year after Galaxia for all intrinsic purposes, but the following things did not occur:   
*Usagi and Mamoru DO NOT get engaged *Chibi-Usa does not return to the past after Sailor Moon S, she stays in the 30th century *The outers don't separate themselves from Sailor Moon   
_Ages:_   
**Inners:** Third Year High School (NA equivalent of a Junior) , approx. 17   
**Neptune and Uranus: **Fourth year High School ( NA equivalent of a Senior) approx. 18   
**Pluto:** 3rd year college approx. 22-23 (as a human)   
**Saturn:** Freshman approx. 15   
**Mamoru:** (we use the manga scale here) 2nd year of college, approx. 21   
_The Moon Senshi range from Freshman to Seniors in HS:_   
**Pandora/Tskui:** 17   
**Miranda/ Tengai:**15   
**Neirede/Makiko:** 18   
**Charon/ Sugiko:** 16   
| Notes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10


	2. Episode One: Normalcy at home- we see Sh...

1 Episode One, Normalcy at home: We meet Shinseino Tskui as she used to be  
  
The golden dawn crested over Mt. Rainier in a rare show of beauty on the white snowy peaks. As it filtered through the horizontal blinds in Tskui's bedroom, the girl's shoulder length black hair was illuminated, and her pale skin was kissed with a flaxen gleam. As it reached her closed dusty violet eyes, she groaned.  
  
"No..."  
  
Her alarm clock chose that moment to sound intrusively for the third time that morning. Her hand flashed out quickly from the sanctuary of her warm comforter to turn it off.. again.. when she casually glanced at the time. In red glowing digital letters, it blinked 7:00 AM.  
  
"Omigosh! Aww... Hell! I am going to be late!"  
  
Leaping from her bed, she grabbed a pair of jeans off the floor, wriggling into them as fast as possible while searching for clean socks. She flew to her dresser and pulled her hair back on either side of her head with red bow clips. She ran to the door and had her hand on the door knob when she realized she was about to leave without a shirt on. Snatching a silver tank top out of the closet she made a graceful exit while still pulling the shirt over her head.  
  
Hurricane Tskui entered the kitchen where her mother, Mary, was fixing herself a bowl of cereal. Tskui snagged a piece of toast from the plate on the kitchen table. She ran past her disheveled father, Ryoshuu, who had obviously just gotten up, and gave him a quick, crumb filled kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Late. Gotta go. Love ya!" she called over her shoulder to the house in general.  
  
"Don't forget your violin, 'Kui-chan, you have that concert today!" her mother yelled in reply.  
  
"Oh shi- I mean, thanks Mom!"  
  
"Bye." Her father mumbled sleepily.  
  
The only answer to his farewell was the thud of the door closing behind her.  
  
"Was that Tskui?" Ryoshuu yawned.  
  
His wife nodded, her red hair glinting in the sun.  
  
"Who else?"  
  
Ryoshuu scratched his head, mussing his black hair even more.  
  
"Another morning in the Shinseino household..." he sighed.  
  
  
  
***  
  
Violin solidly in hand, backpack over her shoulder, Tskui walked into her classroom. She caught her best friend's eye as she slunk into her seat at the first music stand, and winked. As she opened the case to her violin, (whom she had affectionately named Scooter) she heard the grumpy "Harrumpf" of the orchestra director. When she looked up, there he was, glaring down at her from the podium over his half-rim glasses.  
  
"If Miss Shinseino is ready, then perhaps we can begin?"  
  
The entire class nodded in agreement, and got into ready position.  
  
"Alright then everyone, 2nd moment of Beethoven's 9th, please."  
  
Tskui's embarrassment faded as the opening chords sang in the air. The music always seemed to take her away. Problems, worries, fears, all melted away in the swell of sound. Beethoven's music especially moved her. The manic changes from minor to major in the span of a few heartbeats seemed to touch a place in her heart nothing else, not even her boyfriend, could stir. The music seemed to mirror... something. It was like an echo from a past life.  
  
The director brought one hand to a stop, holding the orchestra back while the other beckoned the timpani to bring the group to their frenzied finale. As Tskui's bow drew faster and faster , her heart raced with it. When the final notes hung suspended in the air, spent, only then did Tskui breathe.  
  
"Right then," the director began, " great job, guys. Remember, 5:00 tonight, auditorium, Everyone," here his eyes fell upon Anna, Tskui's best friend, "is to wear their black concert attire. You can pack up for today."  
  
Tskui took the soft cloth from her case to wipe the white rosin dust off Scooter's bridge and finger board. Anna came up behind her, tossing her long auburn hair with attitude.  
  
"Can you believe old Mr. 'Harrumpf'," she whined sarcastically. "I mean, so I wore a red dress to the last concert? I thought that being cello section leader gave me some leeway."  
  
The black haired girl shook her head as she closed the now shining violin back into its' case. She walked to the instrument storage room to put it away when the bell rang. Anna's voice floated to her from the door leading to the hallway.  
  
"Catch ya in English, right?"  
  
"Yeah!" Tskui called back.  
  
"Great!"  
  
When Tskui entered the crowded hallway, she searched the sea of faces for one in particular, one with deep green eyes and a smile to melt the coldest heart, her boyfriend Aidan Phillips. But before she could find him, strong arms wrapped around her waist and picked her up off the ground. Warm lips pressed firmly against hers in the sweetest of kisses.  
  
"I was looking for you!" she giggled as he set her back on the ground.  
  
"I know," he laughed. "I saw the confused look on your face and decided to rescue you."  
  
"Arigatou!" Tskui hugged him tightly.  
  
"Ummm… that means thanks, right?" a confused Aidan asked.  
  
"Yup, now let's go eat, I am starving!"  
  
"I can't," Aidan said regretfully. "Anna said she'd tutor me for the next computer programming test."  
  
"Oh, ok! I'll just eat outside then, it's a gorgeous day." Tskui's broad smile hid her secret disappointment. Aidan and Anna had been spending a lot more time together, without her, lately.  
  
"Alright then, have fun 'Kui!"  
  
"Will! Bye now!"  
  
The black haired girl walked slowly toward the double doors that lead to the steps in front of the school. And so Tskui Shinseino was by herself the day her world turned upside down.  
  
***  
  
Parts 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10 


	3. Episode Two: Destiny Catches up with Tsk...

1 Episode Two: Destiny Catches up with Tskui  
  
**Warning: This Episode is not for children under the age of 14**  
  
Walking slowly down the steps outside of the school, Tskui began to weave a story in her head. There were ten ordinary girls. They had a close bond of friendship that sustained them through hard times. Something else held them together... A secret? Yes... together they defended the world from evil. In mini-skirts to add to the silliness of her idea... And the girls would fight with the power of guardian planets to defend an imperiled universe...  
  
On and on she daydreamed. Then she began to weave herself into the story. She would be different...  
  
Tskui dozed in the warm sunbeams, her bentou lunch forgotten in her lap. In her dream state, a young girl with short dark hair and eyes wizened beyond her years appeared before her. Tskui looked around, and found herself in a cool misty wood. A violet glow emanated all around. Dressed in nothing but black, and so somber for a teenage girl , the image before her was insubstantial, like the fog she was surrounded by. The girl seemed familiar, but in the swirls of moisture it was hard to make out the specific features of her face..  
  
"Pandora." The girl whispered, her voice full of affection. "Why can't you see the truth?"  
  
"Who's Pandora?" Tskui asked in wonder.  
  
At this the mystery girl smiled in silent laughter.  
  
"You are, baka. You are one of us, Sailor Pandora."  
  
"One of who? Who are you?"  
  
"I am Hotaru, and we are the Sailor Senshi. You were just thinking of us, remember? Hurry up, Tskui, remember us, recall the past from so long ago. The way it used to be." The girl who was Hotaru held out something that glowed a dark red and her smile turned sadly.  
  
"Here, take this. I hope it will help you remember who you really are. Keep it safe and never use it, unless the need is great."  
  
"What is it? How do I use it?" Tskui whispered, even as she reached for the glowing item.  
  
"You will know when the time comes, cousin."  
  
"Cousin?"  
  
Tskui took hold of the item and saw it was a little brooch engraved with the sign of Saturn, and something else a moon, perhaps. It flashed twice a scarlet red, and all at once a pain filled her body that echoed through her very life force, like it had been there all the time waiting to be recognized. Through eyes that glowed red she gazed at Hotaru, and she other smiled a bittersweet smile. Understanding slowly dawned as the girl Hotaru faded away into shadows, where there once was light...  
  
She was a sailor senshi …? Tskui shook her head in the strong sunshine, combs aglitter.  
  
***  
  
After her classes were finished for the day, Tskui walked home, her violin case beneath one arm. Around her neck was strung the brooch she had been handed by the girl Hotaru. Her fingers ran absently over the engravings as she went to open the door to her brown, one-story home. She removed her shoes, but as her hand reached for the knob, the door swung open into the most horrible display she had ever seen.  
  
The Interior of her home, normally an immaculate white, was splashed red like an insane abstract painting. Upon one wall, a smudged handprint was splattered, on the floor, crimson droplets of blood soaked the fibers. There was far too much… this was not an accident gone horribly wrong…  
  
Horror struck and stupid with fear, Tskui stepped into the room, her stocking feet following the tale the blood before her told. When she reached the dining room, the far wall was spattered with more blood, and the signs of struggle were everywhere. Breakfast dishes were still on the table, the box of sugary cereal her mother loved was on it's side, the puffed corn scattered over the table's shiny surface.  
  
Tskui fled the room, running to her parent's bedroom.  
  
"Mom? Dad!!!!" she screamed into the all-to-silent house. Please God, don't let this be their blood… Tskui prayed.  
  
But when she opened the door, the worst sight a child could see was before her. On the bed, was her father, his head bent at a horribly wrong angle, looking at her. And on the floor, she could see her mother's figure, slumped into a fetal position lying in her own…. Her mouth opened in a silent scream.  
  
A noise distracted Tskui before she could comprehend the enormity of the scene. She was not alone in the room. Off in the left corner of the room, a dark figure hovered ominously. When Tskui turned toward it, the figure came forward, the shadows falling away from it's face. She took a step back, her hand coming to her throat and circling around the dream-gift from Hotaru.  
  
"They didn't have it." The creature rasped, his voice sounding like a swarm of locusts in the night.  
  
"H-have what?" Stammered Tskui, inching back to the door.  
  
"The Souchou, child. I wonder," it hissed, "could you have it?" It's eyes, the color of spoiled cream, stared at her hungrily.  
  
Tskui's mind worked rapidly, translating the word Souchou… Liquid Crystal… blood… Oh god…  
  
"No!" she yelled aloud, yanking the brooch from her necklace and holding it before her like a talisman.  
  
"The sign of Pandora!" The thing exclaimed, it's grotesque face contorting in fear. "Then you are the one I am after!" The monster raced toward her, it's eyes filled with desire, hunger, and fear.  
  
"No!" Tskui yelled again. A pain was tearing through her body, her vision being blinded with silver and red light. Her palm was burning, and when she looked at her hand, the brooch was glowing with the same silver light.  
  
"You will know when the time comes, cousin."  
  
The voice of the Japanese girl whispered through her head. She did know! And holding the brooch in front of her body with both hands, she screamed the phrase that floated through her mind in desperation.  
  
"Pandora Orbital Power… MAKE UP!"  
  
  
  
***  
  
Parts 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10 


	4. Episode Three: And the Walls Come Crashi...

**Episode Three: And the walls come crashing down**

Pandora Orbital power… MAKE UP! 

Shinseino Tskui was floating in nothingness. Blackness encroached all around her, yet by this point she didn't care. Not about her parents, the "thing" awaiting her Nothing.

At that moment, the only thing Tskui cared about was the blinding pain coursing through her body. It ebbed and flowed like an ocean of agony. It was as if keen blades had replaced the blood in her veins. Every time the tide of pain returned, it doubled in intensity. 

A terrible pressure focused between her breasts. Her hands flew to her chest, trying to hold the whatever-it-was in. Fingertips connected with bare skin and cool etched enamel. Curious even through the pain, Tskui looked down at herself to see her body completely nude and pulsating a deep, blood red. In counter time, the brooch glowed bright silver through her clasped hands.

A cyclone of wind flew from the void beneath her, and her hair rushed about her face, obscuring her vision for a moment. The pain in her chest began to spread throughout her body like fire. When the wind blew itself out, a cool balm calmed the pain to a tolerable throb. 

Faint tingles began at her feet, working their way up to her body. Her feet felt heavier than before. As the tingle spread to her hands, she instinctively moved them to cross over her chest, feeling them become encased in something silky-soft.

To the right, a silver pinpoint of light came towards her. As it came closer, it became evident that the light was actually great licks of silver flame. The pillars of fire engulfed her body, and her brooch responded with a flash of brilliant red light. 

She threw her hands straight before her, and the tingly sensation moved down her shoulders to her hips. She felt a silky material brush her legs mid-thigh. 

The flames dissipated a moment later, leaving Tskui shaking in darkness. Her arms were still held before her body. She felt strangely filled with power. The black haired girl had no more time to think about what was happening, for the non-world was dissolving into reality, and imminent danger demanded her focus. 

The girl who had been Shinseino Tskui took a silent step backwards, and Sailor Pandora stepped into her shoes. When she had her feet solidly on the ground again, she turned to face the disgusting creature in front of her, awaiting the inevitable. She was not afraid, but very, very angry.

She didn't have long to wait, as the putrid monster lunged forward almost immediately. She saw it's clawed hand swipe at her head, but not soon enough to avoid the blow. By sheer force it toppled her to the ground, and she was knocked senseless. Her head swam as she blinked away the stinging tears that had crept beneath her eyelids. She had no idea what she was doing fighting this thing. It was obviously brutally strong, and she was just a girl.

The creature sensed her failing sprit and rushed in for the kill. It drew one long, gnarled hand from beneath it's tattered sleeve to reveal long, razor sharp talons.

"I will have your blood-gem girl, the Storm-Mistress demands it."

Sailor Pandora glared into the pus-filled face without fear. Inside it felt as if Tskui had disappeared, and another, stronger crueler woman had taken her place. Instinct told her to kill the bastard, and that was exactly what she planned on doing.

"Whatever you are, you killed my parents, and you will pay for their lives dearly." Her words buzzed around the blood-spattered room like venomous wasps. "Your screams will echo to the dark side of the moon when I have finished with your worthless hide."

The creature seemed unaffected by her speech, and lunged forward again, reaching out with the claws. 

His arms moved faster than she expected, and in their second swing, they tore the soft flesh of her right thigh. The four deep gashes were soon flowing freely with blood, and as the wounds mixed with the open air it brought a stinging of tears to her eyes.

As fast as her small body could dodge them, the monster swung. Soon, deep cuts and abrasions decorated Sailor Pandora's legs, arms and torso, staining her body crimson. Her vision swam, and as the creature rushed in for the final blow, an urgent voice yelled in her mind.

_"Damnit, Pandora, attack!"_ It was the girl Hotaru's voice.

The black and red clad senshi struggled against impending loss of consciousness and stood to face her attacker. A strange heat was building in her body, throbbing and pulsing through her veins again, like when she had transformed. She crossed her white-gloved hands in front of her face, and threw them down towards the ground, hard. Then, words came unbidden to her lips.

"Pandora Rebirth SHOCKWAVE!"

Spirals of ruby and silver light sped towards the disgusting excuse for a living creature, and engulfed it in heat-less flames. It's screams died away moments later, and Sailor Pandora collapsed on the ground in small pool of her own blood, finally giving in to unconsciousness.

**

Tskui awoke to the antiseptic smell of the hospital. She moved her arm to push her hair out of her face, only to feel the jab of the IV in her hand. For a blessed moment, she could not remember why she there, but it soon cam e rushing back in a horrible rush worse than any nightmare. When she lifted the blanket up to assess the damage, there was only one scar high on her inner thigh. All the rest had healed of their own accord.

Just then, nurse came in and seeing that she was awake, shoved a thermometer under her tongue and adroitly wrapped her arm in a Velcro band to check her blood pressure. 

Tskui lost all train of thought as Aidan entered the room. He looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks. His red hair was disheveled and the purple smudges under his eyes scared her. When their eyes met, Tskui's awful nightmare was confirmed. He rushed to her side and they were one for a long moment, lips pressed together in a sorrowful kiss. She knew in that instant.

Her parents were really dead.


	5. Episode Four: Emotional Oceans The ebb a...

As the first handful of dirt was thrown down onto the black lacquer caskets, the sun sank below the horizon. A gentle wind was blowing, moving each blade of grass sweetly. People walked past Tskui somberly. A person would squeeze her shoulder as they passed, perhaps mumbling a few words of condolence. All of them were thinking: _'How sad, so young …and no family now…'_

Tskui had sat at the funeral quietly. She didn't feel Aidan's arm around her, his voice murmuring into her ear. Tskui cringed away from the attempts at kindness. She shrunk from even the kindest of words. She knew that these people meant well, but she couldn't bear to be around them. They wouldn't pity her if they had known that it was her fault. Her mind was numb with guilt.

The only person she would let near her was Aidan, and her hand was held tightly in his. 

Everyone was gone now, leaving her alone with Aidan and her parents for a final farewell. She dropped to her knees. Ignoring the cold dew on her knees, she took two white roses and crushed the petals in her small pale hands. The fragrance of roses, her mother's favorite scent, wafted on the dusky breeze as she dropped them onto the shiny black surfaces. 

Her eyes felt hot, but she had no tears left to cry. She felt Aidan's warm hands fall upon her shoulders. The warmth from his fingertips seeped through the silk of her blouse, and she was glad for it, bringing up one hand to rest on his. As the first star peeked thought the curtain of night, Tskui said her last goodbyes.

"Mama, Papa, in death, may you find peace… Oyasumi…"

Kissing her palm, she laid it on the smooth white marble of their marker, and stood. Aidan wrapped his arms around her, and smoothed her hair.

"All right there, 'Kui?" he asked softly.

Tskui looked up at him, and her lavender eyes welled with tears. Her hear felt near to breaking, and Aidan had been her rock over the last week. She melted into him, burying her face in his chest as her body wracked with sobs. 

So cold… her body felt so cold and her soul felt alone. She couldn't bear to spend the night alone in her parent's house. It had been cleaned of all the physical evidence… but the horrors still resided there. 

"Please," whispered Tskui into his jacket, "I- I need…" She looked up. "Can I stay with you tonight?"

Aidan looked down at the girl he had loved from the moment they had met, and his heart ached to see her look so lost. He brushed back a strand of hair and tucked it behind her ear, watching the rising moon illuminate her tear-streaked face. In this moment, he couldn't deny her anything. He nodded.

"Come on," he said, leaning so close he could feel her warm breath against his face. "Lets go home."

For Tskui, that kiss was the beginning of the end.

--

Aidan gazed at the angel sleeping beside him and felt his heart swell. Outside, it was still dark and a soft rain was falling against the windowpane. The silky trails of water on the glass painted soft shadows across the small of her back. His fingertips explored the small patterns, swirling around the tattoo on her right shoulder blade, identical to his. Her silky skin looked like milk in that light.

He loved her. He would do anything for her, but he felt that even now, when they had been as close as two can be, that he was losing her to her darkness. 

He wanted to hold her and keep her close. He wanted to protect her from all the hurts of the world. As she moved a little in sleep and whimpered, he wrapped his arms around her, trying to soothe her back to peaceful slumber. 

He fought off his own drowsiness, holding her head close to his heart. But soon, he too nodded off to sleep and awoke to light splashing liquid gold over his Tskui's ivory face. Her eyes opened slowly; sleepy lavender orbs. She smiled sweetly and snuggled closer into his embrace. They stayed that way for a long moment before she moved.

Planting a kiss on his forehead, Tskui reluctantly reached for the bedspread. She stood up and was uncaring of her nudity.  She lazily searched about  for her clothes on the floor. In the late morning light, the small pink scars from her recent ordeal were visible as she walked. She still felt stiff and sore if she moved a certain way. She slipped her panties on over her hips and pulled her camisole on over her head. She was already hunting for her skirt when Aidan saw fit to awaken fully.

"Morning." She whispered softly, not wanting to wake his parents if they were home.

"Morning," he yawned, standing up and wrapping his arms around her. Tskui dropped the sock she was holding and kissed him briefly on the lips.

"Enough of that!" She laughed, swatting playfully at Aidan's hand, which was creeping slowly toward her bottom. 

Aidan smiled. He was glad to see some of the old Tskui returning, even if slowly.

 "Now, you going to feed me or what?" she teased.

--

It was another week before Tskui felt comfortable to return to school. And as she walked through the double doors, the normally loud and lively bedlam of the commons went quiet. Whispers echoed in the building and one or two people came up to her to offer condolences. 

She swallowed past the lump in her throat and made her way to the cafeteria, where she had arranged to meet Anna and Aidan for breakfast. When she arrived the two of them were deep in conversation. She had to clear her throat loudly for Anna to look up from her workbooks. Tskui had expected at least a smile or a pat from her best friend, but all she got was a curt nod. 

 _"What's wrong with her?"_ She thought mildly annoyed. But then Aidan looked up at her and his lopsided grin sent butterflies through her and she forgot everything else. Almost.

That day was one of the hardest days of her life. In Orchestra it was a free day, and so Tskui couldn't lose herself in the music. Her classmates continued coming up to her, the nice ones anyway, to offer condolences. This only continued to remind her of her loss, and by lunch, she was very much ready to go home. Her small support group of friends gathered around her during lunch, fending off the curious as she sat and picked at her lunch. She hardly even tasted the little she even consumed and was grateful for Aidan's comforting arm around her. 

Her friends distracted her so well she didn't even notice that Anna was absent from the meal.

It wasn't until fourth period, the last of the day, that Tskui heard the whispers about her. Now that the shock of having a murder in the community, the cruel hearted-ness of others shined through. A girl in her class, not usually known to spread gossip, whispered a little to loudly to the boy behind her.

"Have you heard?" she whispered.

"Huh?" the boy replied in his normal voice. 

"I heard that the police are watching Tskui's every move. They think she is the one who killed her folks."

"No way!" said the boy loudly. He was hushed quickly when Tskui turned her head to look at the two of them with barely contained tears. Her hands were shaking and her throat felt tight. If this is what people were saying while she was in the room… what were they saying when she wasn't there? Tskui gathered her things and ran from the room, despite the teacher's protestations. 

Tskui ran through the halls of the school, searching for a sanctuary. She knew from what Aidan always said that the computer labs had no fourth period classes, and as she reached the science and mathematics wing, she saw by the darkened rooms it was so. She ducked into the Comp-Sci lab and closed the door noiselessly behind her. Expecting to see the room empty, she turned to see Aidan with his back to her and Anna in front of him, facing him. 

Anna caught Tskui's eye and one corner of her mouth turned up into a smirk as she leaned in, wrapped her arms around the tall redhead, and kissed him passionately. Aidan's arms moved up to her shoulders, and Tskui turned and left the room quickly, her mind spinning.  Anna's golden laughter could be heard nipping at her heels as she hurried away.

My god… not them… together... how could I have been so damn stupid? All those times when they had to 'study' for programming. And to think I- him- we… after all we shared he did this to me… I gotta get out of here. 

Tskui felt as if she was going to be sick. 

This was too much… just too much. She ran from the school entirely, tripping and falling over 

herself. She didn't feel the pain as she scraped both knees. She didn't know where she was going, blinded as she was by her own tears, but she ran and ran until she found herself in 

Kinnear Park. Collapsing against a tall pine tree, she lowered herself to the ground and sank into the damp grass. Her breathing was uneven and difficult. 

She couldn't believe that he could do that to her. That **she **could do that to her. Her best friend and her first love, her first everything. Her mind refused to accept the concept of life without her parents and out-and-out rebelled against the thought of life without love and friendship. 

She wanted to die, but she was too much of a coward to hurt herself. If a bolt of lighting had come from the sky and struck her down, she would have been glad.

It was in this moment of darkness that she remembered the letter she had gotten the day before her parents died. It had been an offer to send her to Tokyo as an exchange student. She still had the letter in her binder, and she took it out to re-read it and all it's fine print. She had to send a reply postmarked no later than March 19th, 1995. That was today. 

In moments, she had filled out the required information and begun her walk towards the nearest post-office. She wouldn't have to see anyone here ever again. 

She was going to Japan.


End file.
